Ukraine rejected PM approved

Ukraine’s parliament on Thursday approved Yuri Yekhanurov, the candidate of President Viktor Yushchenko, as the country’s new prime minister, averting a crisis after less than a year of liberal administration.

The middle-of-the road Yekhanurov replaced Yulia Tymoshenko, who stood alongside the president in last year’s “Orange Revolution” protests, but was sacked in early September after months of infighting split the government in two. Her dismissal and allegations from both sides about the rampant corruption Yushchenko had vowed to stamp out had pitched the ex-Soviet state into turmoil, Reuters informs.

In Yushchenko’s second attempt this week to secure endorsement for his candidate, Yekhanurov won the support of 289 members of the 450-seat assembly, well above the required 226. On Tuesday, he had fallen short by three votes. “I am asking you for the second time in three days to vote for the stability of Ukraine. Let each side draw conclusions from what happened, learn to keep its word and shun betrayal,” Yushchenko said.